'Real Housewives' star files $5M suit against her bankruptcy lawyer, blames him for prison sentence
Teresa Giudice. Debby Wong / Shutterstock.com
Reality television star Teresa Giudice filed a $5 million malpractice suit against her former bankruptcy lawyer Wednesday.
It accuses attorney James Kridel of making mistakes both on her family’s original 2010 bankruptcy filing and in subsequent amendments, and blames him for the fact that she is headed to federal prison next month, according to the New York Daily News and TMZ.
Criminal charges followed a hearing with creditors to whom she and her husband owed some $13 million, for which Giudice was inadequately prepared, the Manhattan Supreme Court suit contends.
Giudice and her husband, Giuseppe “Joe” Giudice, were indicted (PDF) last year and pleaded guilty in March in a bankruptcy and mortgage fraud case that accused them of concealing assets, the Associated Press reported at the time.
Teresa Giudice, who is known for her role in Real Housewives of New Jersey, is headed to prison in January to serve a 15-month term, and her husband will start his own 41-month sentence when she is released.
Kridel, who has offices in both New Jersey and New York, did not respond to a Daily News request for comment.
The judge in the bankruptcy fraud case had considered a sentence of probation for Teresa Guidice until she learned the family had incorrectly filled out court forms disclosing their assets. the Daily News reported. Another NJ Advance Media story covered the sentencing hearing.
Related coverage:
NJ.Advance Media: “The 18 most telling quotes from ‘Real Housewives’ stars Joe and Teresa Giudice sentencing”
